


The Learning Curve

by PrincessAddieJ



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-10 17:19:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12303885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessAddieJ/pseuds/PrincessAddieJ
Summary: Sarah isn't sure she's ready to be a parent, and maybe she isn't. But when Addie is in trouble, everything becomes clear as crystal.





	1. Chapter 1

Of course it would be Fireys.

The one creature Addie was actually scared of in her new home, and she managed to walk up on them without her trusty companion. Every once in awhile, Perrin needed to spend time with the rest of the pack, and because two pups had been born not so long ago, now was as good a time as any for him to do so. Unfortunately, it left the Princess without her loyal pet, but more importantly, the one guard that she had come to rely on so often. 

She had not been paying attention to where her feet wandered, lost as she was in her own thoughts, and had accidentally stumbled upon the small stretch of forest the Fireys liked to play in. If what they did could be considered playing . . . 

“Hey kid!” One called, snapping the girl from her reverie with a bone-chilling squawk. 

“What you doin’ around here, kid?” Another asked. 

“Nothing,” Addie answered in a breathy tone, “just . . . I was just leaving.” She turned to leave, her eyes still wide in fear, when a third Firey, this one looking to have a Mohawk of yellow feathers atop his head, jumped directly in her path. 

“Oh you not goin’ annnnnnywhere,” it laughed loudly, and the others joined in, forming an eerie chorus of maniacal cackling. 

“Yeah we gon play a game wit you!” 

“A game! A game!” 

“Just take off that pretty little head!” 

Panic rose in Addie’s chest the more they spoke. She couldn’t move, lost in fear as she was, and the magic seemed to freeze in her veins, rendering self-defense impossible. The girl could hardly think what to do, save for one thing. And that one thing seemed stupid. Childish. Immature in every way imaginable. 

And yet . . . 

“MOMMY!” She screamed, every ounce of oxygen in her lungs expelling outward in a physical wave of sound. 

The Fireys did not seem perturbed in the least. On the contrary, Addie’s cry became a part of their game, and they began to echo her in between bouts of laughter. 

“Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!” They parroted as the game continued. Their chant became something of a song that was sung to keep tempo with the rest of their limbs dancing around in all directions but purposefully away from their bodies. 

Addie’s feet very suddenly seemed to find motivation, and they carried her between the bright creatures, straight to the hollow of an aging tree. She dove in without a thought, wiggling into the space and covering her head as she continued to wail. 

“MOMMY! MOMMY! MOMMY!” She pleaded. 

The creatures around her continued to laugh and persuade her to take off her head, until the familiar hum of magic coursed through the air and a deep voice boomed into the clearing. 

“Enough!” It shouted, silencing the Fireys in an instant. “You will no longer bother the Princess of this land! Be gone from my sight immediately!” 

Laughing filled the air once more, but it died quickly, fading away with distance. Addie remained hidden with her arms above her head, crying quietly. Jareth walked over to her hiding spot with a careful stride, kneeling and reaching out for the girl gently. 

“It’s safe now, love. You can come with me.” 

His voice was soft, assuring, and held every ounce of truth there ever could be, but the panic would not let Addie relax. She pulled away from his touch the moment his glove met her arm. 

“No! No!” She cried. 

Jareth watched her small body shake in fear and his shapely eyebrows pulled together while he considered the situation. 

“What can I do, Princess?” He offered, his voice quieter still. 

“I want Mommy.” Her voice threatened to crack from the tears, and the King wished there were more for him to do. But for now, he would do as the girl asked. 

 

“You just left her there?!” Sarah all but screeched at Jareth’s retelling only minutes later. 

“What else was I supposed to do, dearest? She wouldn’t come out for me! I had Tink stand in while I came to get you. _You_ are what she wants,” he explained in a pained tone. 

“Me?” Sarah asked, incredulous. “Why me? You’re the one with magic.” 

“I don’t know, my love. I am only doing as she desires.” 

Sarah could hardly piece together Addie’s reasoning. The King was the one with magic that could protect her from anything and everything she might encounter Underground, so why ask for a human? Of course, Sarah loved the girl dearly and would do anything for her, including keeping her from harm by whatever means necessary, but . . . It still made no sense that the Princess would want her. She acted as a big sister to Addie; protective, cuddly, a bit forceful when necessary, and always loving. But nothing close to Jareth. Though this King was not the one she was used to, in a roundabout way, they shared blood. Jareth had instantly loved the Princess and cared for her as a father should. Sarah simply didn’t know if she was capable of being a parent yet. 

While she worked everything over in her head again and again, Sarah allowed Jareth to magick them both back to the clearing where the Fireys had cornered their little Princess. Tink dutifully stood guard, bumbling in his usual cheery demeanor to Addie, who still hid and cried quietly at the hollow of a tree. Her face was hidden, as she covered her head to protect from an enemy no longer around, but her tiny body shook with nearly silent sobs as she waited for rescue. 

Sarah smiled at Tink as he moved to the side and made room for her. She knelt on the cold ground and reached for Addie with both hands. 

“Addie?” She said in a quiet voice. 

At the sound of her name, the girl looked up through tear-soaked eyes. Her mother was there now, worry etched across her pale face. Addie wasted no time in crawling from her spot and into Sarah’s arms, hugging the Labyrinth’s Champion for dear life. 

The moment Addie hugged her, something clicked inside Sarah. It was physical enough that the woman thought for sure everyone around could hear the sound, but no. This was only the truest understanding of what her life was now. Though this tiny little thing in her arms had not directly come from her, Sarah was a mother now. It made such sense that she wondered how she had ever questioned it before this moment. Jareth had always been father, and she would always be mother. The rightness of it all was overpowering. 

“It’s okay,” she whispered, rubbing gentle circles on Addie’s back while she cried. “I’m here now. It’s okay. Mommy is here,” she promised. “I always will be.”


	2. Brick By Brick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah isn't the only one who has things to learn.

Sarah chose to walk back to the castle, carrying the girl close and whispering to her the tale of how the Fireys had tried to take _her_ head once upon a time. Jareth kept pace with her, noting with a slight smile that Addie seemed to calm down the more Sarah spoke of her own encounter with the creatures. Surely the Princess could see that if someone as brave and intelligent as Sarah could manage to keep her body intact, then Addie could, too. When they reached the front gates of their home, the Princess had calmed enough to relinquish her hold on Sarah, and dashed upstairs to the safety of her room where she stayed the rest of the day. 

Jareth had work to attend to that he had abandoned upon sensing Addie’s panic and hearing the faint echo of her frightened cry, and valiantly attempted to return to it after the girl was home safe. However, his mind wandered, despite his best efforts to keep it focused on the task at hand. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” A soft voice said, breaking through his already scattered thoughts. 

“Hm?” 

“It’s a human expression, GK,” Sarah explained playfully, her smile lighting up the dim room. “It means I want to know what’s on your mind.” 

Jareth laughed lightly, his own smile pulling at the edges of his lips. He had never smiled so much as when he was with this mortal woman. Something about her made him want to share every thought, spill every secret, express every happiness, if only for the chance to see her reflect it back at him. She was beguiling in every sense of the word and he loved it beyond rhyme or reason. 

“I know what it means, my dear. I was simply lost in the thoughts you are so eager to have me share.” 

“Well find your way back and talk to me. I hate seeing you so burdened.” 

“I am not burdened, love. Merely . . .” He searched for the appropriate word. This feeling was so new. At least, in this case it was. “. . . Disheartened. Adelaide still doesn’t trust me. Not that I blame her. I wear the same face as someone who broke her trust once before.” _Someone who abused and violated her so horribly,_ he added in his mind, _and if I ever find the face responsible it will be the end of our similarity._

“She does love you, though,” Sarah assured, unwilling to lie about the Princess’s trust. 

“Yes, and for that I am grateful. I only wish I knew how to help her heal, and not for my own gain, though I would be delighted to have her full confidence. I just want her to be healthy and happy. She deserves at least that much.” 

Sarah walked behind the desk cluttered with papers and wrapped her arms around Jareth’s neck. She kissed his jawline tenderly, hoping to soothe his rigid muscles. 

“I think we can help her get there,” she agreed in a breathy whisper. 

“But how? She doesn’t even trust me to save her from the creatures of my own kingdom.” 

“Tucking her into bed would be nice. Starting small is a good a place as any, and you’ve already helped protect her from those awful nightmares, so she’s at least willing to sleep now. Putting her to bed would help remind her of that protection and build her trust even more.” 

“You really think so?” He asked, trying to keep the hope out of his voice. 

“The other king tore her down to nothing, Jareth. You have to build her back up, brick by brick. Little by little.” Jareth nodded slowly. Sarah was right. She almost always was. It would be the small things that helped bring Addie closer to him right now. 

“Yes, bedtime would be a good place to start the building, and,” he glanced at the large thirteen-hour clock on the wall to his left. “By the gods, it is bedtime, isn’t it? I’ve managed to work the day away without really working.” 

Sarah was smiling cheekily against his unruly hair. “One problem at a time, GK. First, we go put our girl to bed, then we deal with your workaholic tendencies.” 

 

As it turned out, it was far _past_ bedtime, and Addie had fought it with every fiber of her being. She reasoned that being away from her bed would help keep sleep at bay, and finally gathered enough courage to wander away from her room just when it felt as though unconsciousness would swallow her whole. Clad in only Jareth’s white poet’s shirt and a pair of socks that belonged to someone twice her size, the Princess trudged down to the throne room to see if a few hyper gobs would keep her company. 

For once, the silly creatures were all sound asleep – emphasis on ‘sound’ as every one of them snored like they were being choked to death. The only spot in the room not littered with sleeping gobs was of course, the King’s throne. No one but him ever dared sit there. It was _his_ spot, after all, and the gobs were surprisingly good about respecting each other’s spaces. Addie could hardly help herself, though. She had spent a lot of time sitting on the other Goblin King’s throne, dreaming of a time when it would be hers, and not being able to wish the day close enough. 

But those dreams were gone now. 

 

When Jareth and Sarah found her, Addie was asleep on Jareth’s throne. Though she was indeed in her human form, her body curled in on itself much as it did when she slept as a kitten. Jareth recognized his white shirt bunched up around her thin tummy, and instantly worried that all she wore with it were some large socks and pale blue knickers. The change of season had brought about some very chilly nights and the King could hardly stand the idea of his Princess getting cold from lack of clothing. 

“I don’t think she could be any more adorable if she tried,” Sarah laughed quietly, pulling the girl’s shirt down to cover as much of her lower half as possible and allowed Jareth to pick her up. 

“She is quite the cute kitten,” Jareth agreed, magicking one of his long capes around her body. “And now she’ll be a warm one as well.” 

The King left the cape around her as he tucked her snuggly into bed only moments later. Hopefully, it would remind her of him when she woke.


	3. Sarah Meet . . . Sarah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Jareth and Sarah need answers, the only person they can turn to isn't the easiest option to accept.

Over the next few days, both the Goblin King and his lady love watched their girl pad around the castle in both her feline and human form, with an odd mixture of sadness and fear neither of them could understand. Jareth was resolved to letting the girl’s emotions run their course and deal with whatever came the best they could, but Sarah was unconvinced. She had always been a doer. She could never let a problem go when she was sure there was a solution to be found. And in this case, she knew exactly where they would find the answers to Addie’s problems . . . 

She just wasn’t sure she liked it. 

 

“Addie honey, we’d like to talk to you,” Sarah said one evening, her voice so soft and gentle it made the Princess instantly worried. She turned her curious stare to her daddy, who looked like he had stepped on something sharp and was attempting to hide the pain. 

“About what?” The girl asked hesitantly. “Did I do something wrong?” 

“No, not at all, sweetie,” Sarah assured. “We wanted to talk about Sarah. The other Sarah, I mean.” 

“Sammy’s mom?” 

“That’s the one. We want to talk about Sammy’s mom.” For some reason, Sarah found it easier to address her mirror self as the mother of another child rather than her own name. 

“Okay? Well, what do you want to know?” 

“Well honey, we, um . . . We . . .” Sarah looked to Jareth imploringly. He didn’t seem altogether comfortable with the situation, either, but they had both agreed it was best for Addie. They would simply have to put their qualms aside and do what needed to be done for their princess. But that didn’t make it any easier for her to say aloud, especially to the girl. 

“We’d like to talk to her, love,” Jareth stated simply, curling his long gloved fingers together in an attempt to calm his nerves. 

The Princess was visibly confused by this. She stared between her mother and father for what felt like an eternity, trying to see if either of them gave any indication that this was some odd lie or joke she couldn’t understand. But no, their honesty was plain, as was a healthy dose of fear for whatever reason. She could almost taste the emotions in the air and had no idea what to make of them. 

“. . . But why?” The girl finally pondered aloud. 

“There are some things we need to know that can only be told from an adult perspective, kitten,” Jareth explained casually, as if commenting on the color of his shirt or something equally meaningless. 

The pet name fell from his rosy lips before he even gave it a thought and saw the instant gratification it brought his little charge as she grinned back at him despite the odd circumstances. He mentally noted her positive reaction and reminded himself that this was something he could share with her from this point forward. Something positive that brought them closer and added yet another brick to the foundation he strived so hard to build with the girl. 

“And you want me to take you to her, don’t you?” Addie asked, watching closely to see their reactions. 

“Yes,” Sarah said. 

“Such a smart one, you are, my dear,” the King praised with a toothy smile. 

“We can’t get to her world without you, Addie. Could you take us there? Please?” 

Without another word, the Princess reached out and took both of her parent’s hands. The castle walls instantly began to dissolve around them, and Addie unsuccessfully suppressed a giggle at Sarah’s sharp intake of breath when the floor came out from under their feet. Unlike how she traveled Above, there was no sensation of falling, but there was a distinct feeling of nothingness – no up or down, or anything that told your body it wasn’t about to meet its abrupt end with a crashing fall. Jareth seemed less concerned, and calmly watched as the world melted into existence around them again, his human glamour falling into place as effortless as a breath. 

“We didn’t mean right this moment, Precious, but I suppose there’s no time like the present.” 

“Speaking of time,” Sarah said, looking around as she returned to herself, “what time do you think it is here?” 

Addie shrugged. Though the sky was quite dark and a hushed silence fell about the street, she knew she was welcome at the Williams’ residence at any time, day or night. She began walking up the road without warning. 

“Addie where are you going?” Her mother asked in a worried tone. The girl merely pointed as she walked. 

“This way. They live in the house on the corner.” 

“. . . The corner?” Sarah parroted, memories flooding back like a tidal wave. 

“Mhmm. Sammy’s mom moved back into her old house she lived in as a kid. The one she lived in when she met –”

“Jareth,” Sarah finished with a smile. 

“Yep. Come on, it’s not far.” 

 

Addie led her parents only a short way further. Sarah could hardly believe that she was soon standing on her old front porch, staring at her old front door with the same scratch marks Merlin once left as he begged to be let inside. She couldn’t decide if the feelings bubbling up in her chest were good or bad. So much had happened in the past year and she wasn’t sure if she could face the memories again. But Jareth took her hand, and with a single loving squeeze reminded his future queen that this was not the home she knew. Regardless, he would be there for her through it all, and they both would be there for Addie. 

The princess rang the doorbell without a care in the world. If anything, she was a little excited to see the Williams family again, especially their son. Sam had been a bright spot in her shadowy world, and she felt incomplete without him. He was her best friend. 

“Who in the world rings a doorbell at midnight?” A muffled voice asked from inside. Unable to wait for an answer, a dark head popped out of the second-story window facing the street. 

“IT’S ADDIE!” 

“Sammy?!” Addie called, looking up toward the voice. 

“ADDIE!” He screamed again, ducking back through the window. In a matter of seconds the distinctive sound of loud thumping rang out as the boy all but tumbled down the stairs and threw open the door. 

“SAMMY!” Addie screamed as Sam launched himself at her. Neither seemed bothered by their volume as they hugged and laughed loudly on the porch, despite the adult’s worry that a neighbor would surely be woken by such noises. 

“Samuel Williams!” Came the unmistakable chiding of Sarah Williams. “You do not answer a door by yourself or run screaming out onto the porch at _midnight_ , young man! I don’t care who’s waiting out – ADDIE!” She exclaimed, immediately dropping to her knees and taking the girl into her arms. 

“I told you!” Sam laughed. He refused to let go of his friend, and Sarah had wasted no time in scooping the pair of them closer to her, smothering Addie with kisses and nearly crying into her blond head right there in the doorway. 

“Oh, Addie baby we have been so worried about you! Sam said you ran away from home and Jareth hadn’t gone after you! Anything could have happened to you, honey!” She kissed the Princess over and over again, not completely sure this wasn’t a dream. 

“I’m okay, Sarah. I have a new home and a new Mommy and Daddy,” she said, gesturing to Jareth and Sarah. 

It was only then that Sarah Williams gave attention to the people Addie had brought with her, caught up as she was in seeing the girl she was sure would never be seen again. Her green eyes grew wide. Standing at her door was not only the Goblin King that gave his daughter up without a fight, but also a carbon copy of herself – worried, pale, and incredibly confused. 

“Addie,” Sam’s mother said in a careful tone, “what in the world is going on?”


	4. And Mom Makes Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If two moms is helpful, three is even better, right? . . . Right?

Any other human would have found the situation much more difficult to understand, but Sarah Williams – either version – was intelligent in a way that was not common with mortals. Addie was honest, and explained what had happened from the moment she ran away from home. Though they were all a bit fuzzy on the _how_ part of different realities and portal magic operation, Sam’s mother seemed to understand one simple truth perfectly well: 

There were two Sarah’s. Both standing in the same living room with their respective lovers and children. 

It was odd, to say the least. 

“I’m just thankful you’re not the Jareth I know,” she sighed into her hand as they all sat with cups of hot tea several minutes later. “You’ll forgive my language, but he’s a pompous ass.” 

“From what I’ve gathered, that’s not an inaccurate statement,” The Goblin King agreed, sipping on a delicious cinnamon tea he wanted the recipe for. 

“Hey mom, if you guys are gonna sit around and talk about how much Jareth sucks, can I go show Addie my new toys? Please?” Sam was practically shaking from excitement and his mother could hardly blame him. 

“You may, but please be quiet. It’s late and I don’t want Rosie waking up and throwing off her schedule.” Both kids had darted for the stairs at ‘you may’ and had just heard enough of Sarah’s sentence to know to be quiet, but everything else was lost. Jareth, however, noted his future queen’s curiosity. 

“Rosie?” She asked in a careful tone. 

“My youngest,” her mirror explained. “She’s actually responsible for Sam meeting Addie. He wished his sister away to Addie’s Jareth almost two years ago.” 

“You’re kidding,” the Goblin King remarked, unable to hide his amusement. 

“If only I was,” the other Sarah continued. “In fact, if it weren’t for Addie, Jareth would have kept Rosie. She helped Sam win in plenty of time. The self-absorbed glitterball called it cheating, but he gave Rosie back in the end. Addie took a rather harsh punishment for it, but I am so thankful for her help. She’s too good for the family she got.” 

“You seem to be on the same page we are about the situation, Miss Williams,” Jareth stated in a somber tone. “Please, allow us to address any concerns you have for Addie and her wellbeing.” 

“What makes you think I have concerns?” 

“Because I would, if I were you,” Addie’s mother interjected. “And . . . I am. So, as odd as this all is, please, let’s just be honest with each other.” 

Sam’s mother bit her lip as she held to the cup in her hand tightly. 

“Fine. I’m worried about her. Of course, I am. She’s an amazing little girl who has been dealt a terrible hand. She deserves so many things she’s never gotten before, at the very least, stability and love, which I can give her. I don’t see why I should trust either of you to leave here with her when she has already been hurt in ways you could hardly imagine.” 

“Those are fair concerns,” the King said, “but I assure you, I can very well imagine the things she has been through. I have lived through them myself, and I swear on every deity there is, if I ever come across that pathetic excuse for a king, he will be much more than sorry he ever looked at that girl the wrong way. I love her, Miss Williams. I love Adelaide more than I knew it was possible to love someone, including her,” he said, gesturing to the woman beside him, “and I would die for Sarah. That should give you some measure for the lengths I would go to for that special princess.” 

At his side, Sarah could hardly speak. She had known for some time that Jareth cared for her and Addie, but to hear him say it with such conviction and passion . . . It made her own love for the pair of them grow even more. 

“We will take care of her,” she promised. “That’s why we came here in the first place. We need advice on the best way to help her, and we figured you would know what to do.” 

Sam’s mother and father held hands, sharing a long look of understanding before Sarah finally turned back to the King and future Queen. 

“You both really do care about her, don’t you? I can see it.” 

“We do,” Jareth affirmed. 

Sam’s mother nodded. “I know how to help you, but I’m not the right person for it,” she admitted. “You need Lorelai.” 

 

Jareth and Sarah had heard the name before, but only once, and neither could remember who she was as far as Addie was concerned. They watched in silent confusion as Sam’s mother walked across the room to the phone and dialed a number by heart. She spoke softly, saying only four words: 

“It’s Sarah. Come quickly.” 

Before she even hung up the receiver, a low hum of sound echoed throughout the room, hardly detectable to even the most attuned ears. The wave of magic sweeping through gave way to a dark-haired woman very suddenly standing in the room. Sam’s mother hardly seemed concerned. In fact, this seemed to be what she had expected, if her welcoming smile was anything to go by. The woman nodded at her, and turned to face Jareth and his Sarah. 

“Jareth!” She growled. “How dare you do that to our daughter?!” 

Now it made sense. 

“Lorelai,” Sam’s mother intervened, “he’s not who you think.” 

“It’s Jareth!” Lorelai insisted, trying her best to get to the King despite the best efforts of Sam’s mother. 

“Mom!” Addie called from the bottom of the stairs, running to her mother with a wide smile. Lorelai stopped her pursuit of Jareth for a moment, sweeping Addie up in a tearful hug and holding the girl close. 

“My baby. My baby,” she cried into Addie’s hair. “I thought I would never see you again.” 

“Addie why don’t you help your mother understand what’s happening before she does something we’ll all regret?” Sam’s mother offered in a calm tone. 

Addie complied quickly, pressing a hand to Lorelai’s cheek. The eyes that matched Addie’s exactly glazed over for a brief moment, seeing something far away, yet right there between them. After only a minute, she pulled away, shifting her gaze to Jareth. 

“Is it true?” She asked him in no more than a breathy whisper. 

“I’m sure I have no idea what you mean.” 

In the same wordless manner Addie often acted, she extended a long-fingered hand to Jareth as if to help him stand. Due to his guise, he wore no gloves, and as such did not immediately take her up on the odd offer. It was only when the Princess smiled at him with warm confidence did the King cautiously take Lorelai’s hand as he would if they were first being introduced. He immediately felt as though she were taking something from him, but he did not feel drained as he did when using copious amounts of magic all at once. It was over nearly as soon as it began, and Lorelai released his hand, still holding Addie on one hip. 

“Fine,” she sighed, “I won’t kill you, I guess.”


	5. Truth At Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jareth and Sarah get much more than they bargained for when Lorelai offers her help.

“Please trust that I understand your position, Lorelai. I am not offended in the least by your behavior. Quite the opposite, actually. I would be more concerned had you not acted as you did,” Jareth explained in an even tone after both of the children had fallen well asleep. 

Lorelai kept Addie tucked close to her chest, rocking slightly while the girl slept soundly in her arms. She had graciously – albeit with a tinge of embarrassment – accepted Jareth and Sarah’s request to join them at their home Underground. The lot of them took their leave of the Williams residence with whispered thanks and apologies, and immediately departed for the castle on the outskirts of the Goblin City. Upon arrival, the King sensed Lorelai’s hesitation, and wanted to make his feelings clear. She seemed like a nice enough woman and he hated to think she would feel anything but comfortable at performing her duty as a protective mother. 

“I appreciate that, your Majesty –” 

“Please, call me Jareth.” 

“I appreciate that, Jareth, but I am still incredibly embarrassed. My mind has been running in circles these past months worrying about Addie. I acted rashly and I hope you can forgive me.” 

“Of course. In truth, I can’t say I would have acted any differently if faced with the man who traumatized my girl so horribly. In fact, that is precisely what Sarah and I were hoping you could help with.” 

“Oh?” Jareth nodded, and looked to his future queen. 

“Perhaps you should explain, love. Our Princess has confided far more in you than myself recently.” 

Sarah had taken a seat next to Jareth, but his presence did little to calm her nerves. She had not expected to end up at her childhood home tonight. She had not been ready to face her mirror self, much less the biological mother of the girl she claimed as her own. And yet, here she sat, having done all those things and being pushed to do more. It was all too much. 

“Well . . . We both realize that Addie has been through so much, and we’ve been doing everything we can to help her heal, but none of it seems to be helping. If anything she . . . She looks to be getting worse. We just don’t want her to get so lost in the bad memories that they take away her ability to live.” Sarah had firsthand experience with that problem, and it made her sick at the stomach to think about Addie never moving on from it. 

“You’re not ready to be a mother, are you?” Lorelai asked, her gray eyes piercing through Sarah as if she were made of glass. It was an honest question, and one that carried no hint of malice, only curious observation. 

“I . . . I’m not sure . . . There’s so much . . . I love Addie.” Sarah tried to reply in different ways each time, but the words never sounded just right. Perhaps she didn’t even have an answer yet. 

“I know you do,” Lorelai said quietly, “but that doesn’t mean you’re ready. And you don’t have to be. Honestly, I don’t know if anyone is ever ready to be a parent.” 

“Then why ask?” 

“Because you are asking me to leave my only child – my baby girl – here in your care. I can see that you love her, but her father loved her, and look what he did.” 

“Neither of us would dream of hurting that girl in such a way, madam, and I would thank you to never compare us to that vile man ever again,” Jareth nearly growled. “As it is, Addie found us, and we have done everything we know to do to help her move on from the disgusting things her father did to her. But we find ourselves at a loss. No, we may not be completely ready to be parents, but we are going to do anything we have to in order to be the best we can for her. That includes asking for your help. Please . . . Tell us how to help her.” 

To the King’s surprise, Lorelai merely smiled. She had heard all she needed to hear and could feel the rest in the air as if it were a tangible presence. In a smooth move, the woman stood and crossed the short distance to be directly in front of Sarah with only three strides. Shifting to hold Addie out, Lorelai offered the girl to Sarah. 

“Here, hold out your arms.” 

“What . . . I don’t . . . I’m not as strong as you or Jareth,” she stuttered, opening her arms haphazardly. 

“You don’t need to be. Let me show you.” 

Sarah allowed Lorelai to lay Addie in her waiting arms, and then help shift her until Sarah was soon holding the Princess just as Lorelai had been. Somehow, the girl had managed to stay asleep through it all, snoring lightly while both of her mothers smiled down at her. 

“This is her favorite,” Lorelai told Sarah in a quiet voice, still smiling. “She will never admit it because Jareth chided her so many times about being mature, but my baby loves to be held. The one thing to know about Addie that will help you the most is that she loves touch. She shares my gift of sharing thoughts and emotions through touch, so she likes to do it as much as possible, but it’s also a great comfort to her. Any time you can, I suggest doing it; even holding her hand or patting her back can be soothing.” 

Not one to ignore a lesson, Sarah gently patted at Addie’s back as she slept, and almost immediately felt what she swore was purring coming from the girl. Jareth chuckled low in his chest at the sight. 

“Thank you,” he breathed, finally feeling the beginnings of relief. 

One of the smaller goblins who liked to play in the kitchens brewed a pot of tea the little Princess would have held her nose at, and the adults talked together well into the night. Lorelai told Jareth and Sarah of the things she knew about her daughter that would help them along, including her intolerance of sugar, her love of cold milk in lidded cups, and the way she was still a very young child in so many ways but didn’t always feel comfortable showing it. It was more helpful than the King had thought it could be, and was surprised at just how charming the woman was. 

“I must say,” he eventually quipped, “the idea of you with someone like the other Jareth is rather confusing to me.” 

Lorelai took a long pull from her drink, though it had long gone cold by then. 

“Well to be truthful, we were never together. I, um . . . I slept with him. Just the once, and in all fairness, I was rather drunk, but he was so different then. It doesn’t seem like the same Jareth at all, when I look back on it.” 

“How so?” The King pondered. 

“He was just so . . . _Kind_. I had been having a very rough time and managed to get more drunk in one night than I had in a decade, and tried to portal to see my parents. They chose to live Underground, and it was one of the very few times I was unhappy pretending to be human and having to live so far from them. To this day I’m not even sure where I ended up, but I ran headlong into Jareth as he strolled through some uninhabited stretch of forest. 

“He seemed to have been drinking a fair bit himself that night and vomited all over me.” She laughed slightly at that. “Despite it all, I accepted his invitation back to the castle to freshen up, and we took care of each other the rest of the night. We stayed up until dawn, sipping water and discussing our troubles . . . I remember he was so worried about some goblin-elf trading initiative that had –”

“Never before been attempted within the Goblin City under a monarch’s rule,” Jareth said with her simultaneously. 

“Yes,” Lorelai affirmed, her face pulling together as she watched Jareth. “How did you know that?” 

The King had gone unbelievably pale in the span of a few seconds. He could hardly believe this was happening. 

“Because I was the first monarch to establish such trading negotiations in the Underground.” 

“That’s impossible. The other Jareth allows his goblins free trade as well.” 

“Free trade with other goblins, yes. That has always been the way. But free trade with other creatures is another matter, entirely. Why do you think it’s a city full of goblins and not other species as well?” 

“What does any of this even mean?” Sarah asked him in a voice barely above a whisper, afraid to wake the sleeping girl in her arms. 

“By the gods,” Jareth groaned in response. 

“I’m sure you have nothing to worry about, Jareth,” Lorelai tried to assure him. “The other Jareth probably tried to deal with the goblin trade issue by drinking himself to death, as well.” 

“Even if he did, would he have cried over it afterward?” 

“No, Jareth isn’t like that at all . . . Wait . . . How do you know he – oh my god,” she gasped, nearly dropping her teacup to the floor. 

“Please . . . Please tell me you shared his company more than once.” 

Lorelai covered her face and looked to the floor before shaking her head. 

“No. I felt so ashamed of myself for it, and then he cried so I knew _he_ felt bad about it. When I found out I was pregnant with Addie I . . . I didn’t want to burden him any more than I obviously already had . . .” 

“She would never have been a burden to me,” Jareth admitted in a low hum. At his side, Sarah’s emerald eyes widened. 

“Wait, what? Are you seriously saying what I think you’re both saying?” 

“If it makes you feel better,” Lorelai said to Sarah, yet still addressing the floor, “he called me Sarah the whole time.”


	6. Let That Sink In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magic has a will of its own, but what does that mean for Jareth and his family?

Silence hung in the air between the three of them for what certainly had to be a small eternity. 

“This is impossible,” Jareth finally spoke. 

“It isn’t,” Lorelai assured him in a voice that only barely escaped shaking. “You said it yourself –”

“I know what I said!” The King exploded, jumping to a standing position with the fluidity of water. Sarah covered Addie’s head, as if doing so would somehow keep the sound from waking her. 

“Jareth!” She whispered with a harsh gaze imploring him to sit back down. 

“I know what I said,” he repeated in a tone much more conversational, if not a bit frustrated, “and I am in no way denying that you and I shared company. But it is impossible that she is my child!” 

“So you’re not denying me, just my daughter.” 

“No! Wait . . . Yes, but it isn’t that simple! It’s impossible for Addie to be mine, because in this world – for fae, at least – a child does not happen by accident. The two people involved have to want to have a child for the female to . . . You know . . .” 

Lorelai’s eyes – Addie’s eyes – watched the Goblin King with a heaviness that he swore would break him if she didn’t look away soon. The judgement was clear, and Jareth was powerless to keep her from feeling the way she did. He was a terrible being. 

“First of all, are you honestly telling me that you never desired to have a child with Sarah?” 

“Of course I did, but you aren’t her!” 

“You wanted me to be!” Lorelai snapped, forcing his silence with her hurtful honesty. “You wanted me to be Sarah, and you desired to have a child with her. I am not from this world, and am not bound by your rules, but the spirit of your intent is riddled with magic that has a will of its own. I’m sure you know as well as I do that our power has a way of doing things we never intended for it to. Magic has its own mind, Jareth, and you would do well to remember that when you try to deny that little girl.” 

Unable to form an articulate response, Jareth could only fall back into his seat in a most ungraceful way, and watch as Lorelai stormed out. Her magic effortlessly dissolved her body away from the castle with a gentle wave of her hand, and the little family was left alone once again. Sarah as well had been stunned to silence, but the emotions she was unable to express were running wild inside her head. 

_How could Jareth have betrayed her like this? How could she be so selfish as to call it betrayal when they were apart because of her initial refusal of him? If Addie really was his child then she should be happy. But how could she possibly be happy when the girl was repeatedly hurt by someone the King failed to protect her from? Would he even want a child from her if he already had one of his own blood? Was that even a fair question to ask when his whole life essentially fell around him?_

It was all too much to process in the moment. Instead, Sarah merely stood to carry Addie – still sleeping, thank goodness – to the comfort of her bed. 

“Wait,” he spoke, soft as a whisper. “Let me. Please.” 

Sarah handed the girl over without a fight, and made to go upstairs. 

“I’m off to bed,” she said simply. Jareth cradled Addie close to him as he watched her go, his eyes pained and nearly tearful. 

“Our bed, my love?” Sarah considered her options for a short moment. 

“Yes. I don’t want Addie to be worried if she finds me in my old room.” 

 

Jareth had made his own way to bed at a slow pace after making sure the Princess was tucked comfortably into hers. Sarah was already under the silk sheets and facing away from him in the nearly dark room. He dressed in his nightclothes with the help of magic, and carefully joined her, certain she was not yet asleep. 

“Sarah? I think we should talk.” 

She said nothing. 

“Precious, please. I love you. Only you. There has only ever been room for you in my heart. Yes, there have been a few nights with other women, but they have meant nothing to me. After you denied me, it felt like there was nothing left, and I did everything I could to try and fill the void you left but it never worked. The night I had with Addie’s mother means next to nothing to me.” 

“ _Next_ to nothing?!” Sarah piped up, turning over to face Jareth in the darkness. 

“Yes. Next to nothing. I say that only because it gave me something infinitely more valuable than my own life.” 

“And just what is that, you feathery jerk?!” 

“My daughter.” A breath caught in Sarah’s throat at that. 

“. . . You really think she’s yours?” 

Jareth nodded slowly. “I do. When I first met Addie, I felt a connection with her I couldn’t explain. I thought it was because she shared the blood of my mirror and was an abandoned child that needed my help. But after tonight . . . I can’t deny that she is my child.” 

“That doesn’t make sense, though. What about all those rules that make sure no child would be unwanted? You said both partners had to want to have a child.” Again, the King nodded. 

“And I did want a child, Sarah. I wanted to have a child with you. I’ve always wanted to have a child with you. I was so drunk that night, I wanted nothing more than for Lorelai to be you and for us to have a child that would be the best parts of you and I.” 

“You don’t want that anymore?” Sarah asked quietly. It took everything she had not to cry as she spoke. Jareth took her face in his hands, his breath ghosting across her face though he could hardly see it. 

“I want it, still, love. But we’ve discussed this. The place our lives have taken us is not what we imagined it would. It would be best for us to wait and enjoy each other for now. In the future we can talk again about as many children as your heart desires. That is, if you’ll still have me, deplorable behavior and all.” 

Sarah laughed lightly. 

“Oh please, Jareth. Drinking too much is hardly deplorable behavior. If I had a nickel for every time I made a mistake while drunk I’d –” 

“I will give you your own continent to rule if you keep that number to yourself, Precious. I can’t afford any more mental breakdowns tonight.” 

“Deal,” she said, closing the distance between them with a light kiss. “But what about Addie? How are we going to tell her?” 

“We’ll tell her the same way we’ll be doing everything else for the rest of conceivable time: together.”


End file.
